Forest Creek
by Rain's Song
Summary: Forest Creek is a small town with four major neighborhoods: Thunder Woods, Windy Hollow, Rushing Rivers, and Shadowed Pines. All human. FULL SUMARY INSIDE!
1. Intro and Chapter 1

Summary: AH & AU Warriors story. Allegiences begin in "The Sight," but events will not all occur in chronilogical order. Main characters will be Hollyleaf, Jayfeather, and Lionblaze.

The Blurb:Forest Creek, a small and close-knit town, consists of four main communities, or neighborhoods: Thunder Woods, Shadowed Pines, Windy Hollow, and Rushing Rivers. Each community lives in a seperate section of town and are fiercly independent. As a result, there is a strong rivalry between the neighborhoods. Dating or marriage between the neighborhoods is scorned and discouraged, to say the very least. Despite the rifts between each other, all four groups send their children to the same school; they meet every month in peace; they even work together on occasion. They are, in many way, interdependent on each other. Though there are many positive achievements and happy faces throughout the town, not everything is sunshine and daisies. There is, like any other small town, drama and gossip. There is heartache and sorrow. Will this small, rural area make it through all the hardships? Or will it fall apart under the pressure?

* * *

><p><span>Allegiances<span>

Thunder Woods

Felix Star- Firestar

Sahara Star- Sandstorm

Lacie Star- Leafpool

Braiden Connor- Bramblclaw

Shay Connor- Squirrelflight

Jayden Connor -Jayfeather

Landon Connor -Lionblaze

Holly Connor- Hollyleaf

Bracken Heart- Brackenfur

Sophie Heart- Sorreltail

Cynthia Heart- Cinderheart

Paige Heart- Poppyfrost

Hannah Heart- Honeyfern

Clyde Turner- Cloudtail

Brandy Turner- Brightheart

Dean Pride- Dustpelt

Fern Pride- Ferncloud

Thomas Carl- Thornclaw

Ashton Fay- Ashfur

Spencer Lake- Spiderleg

Dafne Lake- Daisy

Mathew Lake- Mousewhisker

Ben Lake- Berrynose

Lois Tanner- Longtail

Miley Tanner- Mousefur

Brad Falls- Birchfall

Whitney Falls- Whitewing

Shadowed Pines

Blake Sampson- Blackstar

Riley Finn- Russetfur

Lee Crane- Littercloud

Tina Conner Case- Tawnypelt

Reece Case- Rowanclaw

Windy Hollow

Oliver Swan- Onestar

Ashley Foster- Ashfoot

Bane Fare- Barkface

Cris Foster-Crowfeather

Heather Tyson- Heathertail

Natalie Foster- Nightcloud

Rushing Rivers

Lesley Scott- Leopardstar

Mia Frost- Mistyfoot

Mae Wing- Mothwing

Willa Shaw- Willowshine

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><p><strong>Chapter One<strong>

Landon Conner woke up with a wide yawn. His golden hair was ruffled and sticking up at odd angles. Wiping the sleep from his eyes, Landon glanced at the clock. "Oh, shoot!" exclaimed Landon, jumping from his bed. It was nearly seven! He practically tore off his clothes and hopped into his blue jeans and old basketball jersey. He threw on his sneakers at top speed and ran a brush through his tangled hair. It was the second week of school and already he was falling back into the old routine of waking up ten minutes before the bus arrived. With a quick glance at his reflection in the mirror, he sprinted out of his room and into the kitchen.

"Good morning, sleepy head," grinned his sister, Holly. She was standing near the stove wearing skinny jeans, black boots, and a black-and-green top that complimented her eyes. Landon watched incredulously as she flipped a pancake. The bus would be there in two minutes, and she was making _breakfast? _

"We're going to be late!" he exclaimed, pointing at the clock. Holly raised her eyebrow, a grin spreading on her face. Landon stammered incredulously, "Six thirty-six? But, the clock in my room said it was nearly seven!"

Landon heard a bark of laughter and turned toward the sound. His black-haired brother was sitting at the table, his blind blue eyes glistening with amusement. "I guess your plan worked, Holly," Jayden grinned.

Landon glared at his sister, starting to catch on. "What plan?" he demanded.

Holly giggled, adding more batter to the pan. "I set your clock back thirty minutes. You always wake up so late! I figured this could be just the trick," she admitted with a hint of triumph in her voice. "I was right!" She gave another giggle, and Jayden smiled.

Landon grumbled under his breath, resentment building when he realized he could have been sleeping at that moment. Holly could act like such a _mother _sometimes! "Whatever," he muttered, grabbing a pancake and throwing it onto a plate. He slapped syrup onto the meal and watched as it oozed down the sides.

"You have to admit it; that was pretty funny," Jayden said, sounding as if he were in a rarely seen good mood, as Landon took a seat next to him.

"Yeah," he retorted, "for _you_." He cut into his pancake and took a giant mouthful. "Wow, Howwy! Whiss is weewy good!" Landon sputtered around his food in amazement.

Holly tilted her head in confusion. "Sorry. I don't speak Full-Mouth," she teased.

Landon rolled his eyes. After gulping down his chewed food, he repeated, "Wow, Holly! This is really good!"

"Thanks!" she thanked him, beginning to wash the pan out. "Mom offered to cook them, but she was already running late. She had to get to work early today," she explained.

"That must be terrible- having to go to school for your job! I don't think I can handle much more after high school! And look at Mom! She's there until she retires!" Landon said.

"Some people actually _enjoy _learning," snapped Jayden, back in his regular grumpy mood.

Landon opened his mouth to give a sarcastic retort, but Holly cut in, "The bus is here!" She sounded slightly relieved. Landon wanted to laugh. Holly didn't like it when her brothers fought, even though the sarcastic comments were simply part of their relationship. They thrived off them; they enjoyed them! Landon loved Holly dearly, but sometimes she worried about them more than their own mother did (which was quite a feat!).

* * *

><p>Holly's pen flew across the paper as Mrs. Tanner rambled on about history. It was only the second week of her sophomore year, but already World History was proving to be a challenge. Mrs. Tanner spoke quickly and rarely repeated herself. It was nearly impossible to take good notes. Holly exchanged an exhausted look with her best friend, Cynthia, as Mrs. Tanner finally ended her lecture.<p>

"There will be a quiz on Monday," Mrs. Tanner proclaimed in a voice that croaked with age. The class groaned, most of them still trying to finish their notes. _Good luck with that, _Holly thought ruefully. She knew this was going to be a long and hard semester. The bell rang with a shrill wail as she tucked away her half-written notes.

Holly and Cynthia dashed away from the classroom, both looking equally relieved that it was over. "What's her problem?" Holly demanded as the two girls stopped at their lockers. "She's always in such a foul mood!"

Cynthia shrugged. "Maybe she's just tired. Most old people are," she pointed out reasonably. Holly rolled her eyes. Sometimes Cynthia was _too _nice.

"Maybe," Holly replied doubtfully, shoving her history book inside of her neatly-organized locker. "What's your next class?" she wondered.

Cynthia consulted her schedule. "Gym," she answered, her blue eyes bright. Cynthia, Holly knew, loved sports.

"I have art," Holly sighed, having already memorized her own schedule. "I wish we had that together."

Her beautiful blond-haired best friend gave an uncharacteristic frown. "Me too," Cynthia admitted. A mischievous gleam came into her eyes suddenly, and she grinned. "At least you have Mathew Lakes in that class," she teased.

Holly glared at her friend. "We're just friends!" she snapped.

"I know _you _think that," assured Cynthia with a laugh, "but try telling Matt that."

"He knows that quite well," Holly responded in a tight voice. It was embarrassing when Cynthia tried to set her up with other guys. How long would it take her to see that Holly wasn't interested? Holly didn't need a boyfriend. She needed to stay focused on her friends, family, and schoolwork. She had a responsibility. A boyfriend would disrupt that.

"Alright, if you say so," Cynthia joked, poking Holly in the shoulder good-naturedly.

"I've got to get to class," Holly told her, eager to get off the subject at hand. Cynthia seemed to know what she was thinking, but let go of the matter.

"Bye! Text me after school," she called after Holly. "My sisters and I wanted to see if you'd come over this weekend!"

Holly nodded and sprinted down the hall. Though it had been originally an excuse, now she really _did _need to get to class! She barely managed to take her seat as the tardy bell rang. She gave a small sigh of relief, but she still felt tense. She tried and failed to ignore Matt's eyes on her back as she did her work.

* * *

><p><strong>AN:**_ I know we haven't really gotten into the plot yet, but how do you like it so far? Up next should be Landon's P.O.V. again! Hint: Heather Tyson (AKA Heathertail/paw) will be getting involved soon!_


	2. Chapter 2

**New Characters:**

Mr. Thomas Carl (Thornclaw)

Heather Tyson (Heathertail)

* * *

><p>Chapter Two<p>

Landon snapped his head up as Holly poked him in the side. "Pay attention!" she whispered fiercely, her eyes returning to Mr. Carl. Landon sighed irritably. He was _trying_ to stay awake, honestly! Mr. Carl was making it difficult, though.

"…listen to your audience," Mr. C. was insisting animatedly. "Without them, your work has no purpose. This is especially important in research papers." Landon wished his teacher would move on to something more exciting. How could anyone be so interested in such a boring subject?

Before Mr. Carl could say another agonizing word, however, the door creaked open slowly. Landon turned his head toward the noise. A petite brown-haired girl stepped shyly into the room. She was wearing a casual pink sundress that hugged her figure perfectly. Her dazzling blue eyes sparkled with embarrassment as the class studied her. "Class," began Mr. C., "this is Heather Tyson. She is transferring from my first period class. Heather, please take a seat next to Landon," he instructed, pointing the empty seat on the other side of Landon.

Heather nodded, her cheeks turning a soft shade of pink. Landon couldn't help but stare as she wound her way over to him. He waited a few moments for Mr. Carl to continue his lecture before murmuring, "I'm Landon Conner, by the way. I'm from Thunder Woods."

"Oh," she replied quietly. "I'm Heather Tyson. I'm from Windy Hollow."

Landon silently cursed his luck. Of _course_ the most beautiful girl he'd ever seen was from a rival neighborhood! "That's cool," he muttered lamely, trying to mask his disappointment.  
>For the remainder of class, he tried harder than he ever had to focus on the teacher's words, but they quickly became muddled in his mind. He often felt his gaze shifting back to Heather. There was something…different about her that he couldn't pinpoint exactly. All he knew is when he looked at her, his heart suddenly missed a beat.<p>

* * *

><p>The bus lurched forward. Holly tapped her phone, waiting for Cynthia to reply. She felt relieved that the day was over, but she felt a prickle of anxiety when she glanced at Landon. He still had that dreamy look in his eyes that he had worn since literature- more specifically, since Heather had walked into the room. She took a deep breath before murmuring, "Be careful, Landon."<p>

Landon faced her, looking confused. "What do you mean?" he wondered.

"Heather," she answered firmly. "We're not supposed to date kids outside of Thunder Wood. You know that!" Her green eyes glistened with concern. She saw Jayden lift his head curiously, but he didn't say a word.

Landon's face flushed in what appeared to be a mixture of embarrassment and defiance. "Who said I'm dating her?" he snapped defensively.

"No one," she replied evenly. "But I saw the way you looked at her in class. You like her!" she accused.

"I don't even know her!" he shot back. "And even if I did, there's nothing in the community code against having friends from other parts of town!"

"Yes," Holly agreed. "But just _friends._"

"Will you quit acting like Mom?" hissed Landon angrily.

Holly winced, but pushed away her guilt. She knew her brother didn't mean it; he was just angry and needed some space. She could respect that. Her phone buzzed, and she nodded, reading the text. She read over the conversation one last time as the bus rounded the corner to their house:

At 3:29 PM, Holly had typed, "_Hey :)" _

At 3:30 PM, Cynthia had replied, "_Hey girl! How'd art go with Matt? ;)" _

Holly had sighed before replying with a simple, "...", at 3:32.

At 3:35, Cynthia had quickly appologized,"_Okay, okay. I'll drop it. ;) So about this weekend: wanna come over to my house tomorrow night? Paige and Hannah have been dying to have you over! Oh…and of course, I have been too. ;)"_

Holly had smiled before joking at 3:36, "_Really feeling the love, C. Haha. :) Of course I'll come! What time?"_

_Hmm_…I_ don't care. Maybe after dinner?"_

Holly had swiftly said her goodbyes at 3:39 as the bus screeched to a halt. "_Sounds perfect! See ya then!"_

Holly shoved her phone in her pocket with a smile. Landon stormed up the yard, but Holly didn't let that ruin her mood. She had the best friends in the entire world, and great plans for the weekend. Landon would see the light about Heather sooner or later. With another grin, Holly led Jayden into the house, happy to be home.

* * *

><p><strong>AN:** _And so, Heathertail comes into the story! I know you guys have probably been looking forward to hearing from Jayden (Jayfeather), and I'm sorry for the wait. He'll be in the next chapter, though! So don't worry. Also, I haven't really incorporated Shay and Braiden Conner (Squirrelflight and Brambleclaw). That's just because the last two chapters have taken place__at school. Soon, though, Lacie Star (Leafpool), Shay, and Braiden will also be introduced. :) Will update soon!_


	3. Chapter 3

**New Characters:**

Willa Shaw- Willowshine

Braiden Conner- Brambleclaw

Shay Conner- Squirrelflight

Lacie Star- Leafpool

**More Random Background Info:**

_Landon, Holly, and Jayden are triplets, as are Paige, Hannah, and Cynthia. _

_Doctors are discouraged STRONGLY to NOT get romantically attatched to anyone in the city of Forest Creek. In instances of romantic involvement, the lovers are often scorned, and sometimes doctors even leave their positions. _

**_Currently in this story, it is September._**

* * *

><p><span>Chapter Three<span>

Jayden Conner drummed his fingers on his desk. Landon was still annoyed with Holly for yesterday's argument over Heather, but Jayden didn't let that bother him. It would blow over, he knew; it always did. Currently, he was helping Willa Shaw fill in for Brandy Turner as school nurse. Brandy was sick today, and whenever that happened, Jayden and Willa were excused from class to substitute, even though students rarely came in sick.

In all honesty, Jayden didn't know which was worse: being in class, or being stuck in the nurse's office. He let out a bored sigh. He knew this was just part of becoming a doctor. He was nothing more than a high school student, and he needed to prove that he was capable of even the most tedious tasks in the medical field.

Jayden was just happy it was Friday. He would be helping Aunt Lacie at the hospital all that weekend, just as he had since the beginning of freshmen year. He was finally beginning to gain the respect of the staff, and even some of the patients. It had sure taken long enough, Jayden thought rather bitterly. People refused to look past his blindness to see what he was capable of. He could diagnose symptoms and suggest medicine faster than any other doctor there! Of course, he had no power to actually fill a prescription. He was an apprentice to his aunt. He had to get her permission to do _anything_.

Jayden took a deep sigh. As long as he was here, he might as well be productive. He drew out a tape recorder from his backpack and pushed play. He listened intently to the audio version of a medical journal. He heard Willa put away her books and join him at Brandy's desk. They spent the rest of forth period like that- listening to doctors drone on about diseases and treatments (Most people, Jayden knew, _read _these kinds of journals, but rarely did he come across brail copies). The two students listened carefully, hanging onto each word. They wanted to become doctors more than anything.

Half-way through the tape, the bell screeched. Jayden jumped, startled out of his focus. He scrambled up, throwing his text books and tape-recorder in his bag. He rushed forward, eager to leave the building, and caught his foot on the chair's leg. "Umph!" Jayden moaned, colliding with the floor.

"Oh my gosh!" exclaimed Willa, who was suddenly at his side. "Are you okay? Do you need help?" Concern was spiking from her like lightning.

"No!" Jayden snapped, anger surging beneath his skin. "I know how to stand up! I'm not stupid!"

Jayden felt Willa step back, annoyance poking at her. "I was just trying to help!" she retorted.

"Exactly!" he shot back, picking himself off the floor. "Just because I'm blind doesn't mean I need some sort of hero to help me in everything I do!"

"Whatever," Willa muttered fiercely as she stormed into the hall. Jayden ignored her obvious fury and collected his things. He had more pressing things to think about; Aunt Lacie was picking him up today and was sure to give him a lecture about responsibility if he was late. Without a second thought, Jayden ran through the halls, his heart lifting at the prospect of returning to the hospital.

* * *

><p>Holly took a bite of her mother's homemade spaghetti. "This is great, Mom!" I complimented graciously, though she could hardly choke it down. Shay Conner was a wonderful mother, but she wasn't destined to be a cook in any sense of the word. Landon seemed to be experiencing the same problem.<p>

Holly watched, trying to hide her amusement, as her brother managed to sputter unconvincingly, "Yeah! It's great!" He smiled, but disgust lingered in his eyes.

Shay Conner smiled bravely and let out a disappointed laugh. "Thanks for trying, you two," she grinned. "That was very kind, but let's face it: I should stick to microwave dinners and macaroni and cheese." Holly felt a prickle of guilt and a stab of pity for her mom.

Braiden Conner patted his wife's shoulder consolingly, though a glimmer of amusement sparkled in his eyes. "It's alright, honey," he soothed. "You're a great woman no matter how your meals taste." Holly rolled her eyes. Honestly, did Dad really think that would help? _Men, _she thought incredulously.

Before her mother could speak, Holly cut in, "What Daddy _means _is that you're an amazing mother and wife. You're the best teacher in the entire world. You can't be good at everything! We're already spoiled enough by you as it is!"

Holly's mother let out a tinkling laugh. "You're too sweet, Holly," Shay smiled at her daughter.

"What about me? I tried!" demanded Braiden with a chuckle.

"Thank you for the effort," his wife giggled.

Holly scraped down the rest of her food, hiding a grimace with each bite, before pushing away her plate. "I'm going to Cynthia's house," she announced as she stood up.

"Alright, baby," Shay replied. "Do you have everything you need? Your toothbrush, your clothes, your pillow? What about-?"

Holly interrupted, "Yes, Mom. I packed everything last night, and it's only two doors down. If I need anything, I can just walk back down."

"Okay, okay. But if it's dark, call me first. I don't want you out all alone at night," Shay insisted. "Promise me, Holly."

"I promise, Mom," she agreed smoothly. "Honestly, I'll be fine." She gave each of her parents a kiss on the cheek before grabbing her pink duffle bag from the counter. "Bye, guys!" she called over her shoulder before shutting the front door behind her.

A few minutes later Holly was sitting on Cynthia's bed in her room upstairs. Paige and Hannah lounged lazily on the floor, which was concealed by scattered blankets and pillows. The girls would be staying up together all night, Holly knew. She doubted they'd get so much as a wink of sleep.

"Cheerleading tryouts are Monday," Paige announced cheerfully in her plaid pajama bottoms. Her dirty blond hair was thrown up in a bun and a smile played on her face.

"Yuck!" Cynthia gagged.

"What's so bad about cheerleading?" demanded Hannah, her blue eyes defiant.

"It's not even a sport!" Cynthia exclaimed. "The only reason girls tryout is to get a football player to date them! And it's so easy to do! You just wave your little pompoms around and chant a few words. Anyone could make the squad!"

Hannah and Paige glared at their sister incredulously. "It's not a sport?" echoed Paige.

"Anyone could make it?" repeated Hannah.

Cynthia nodded. "Absolutely!" she insisted firmly.

Hannah and Paige exchanged a look. Holly knew this couldn't be headed anywhere good. "I bet _you _couldn't," Paige challenged slyly, examining her nails. "You don't have what it takes." Holly saw a competitive flash sharpen Cynthia's gaze dangerously. Holly sighedou , knowing what was about to unfold.

"Of course I could!" she retorted.

"I don't know," Hannah mused, trying to mask a mischievous grin. "You'd have to practice for _years _like Paige and I. It takes true talent."

"I could make it any day, any time!" Cynthia exclaimed.

"Okay, then," Paige agreed with a laugh. "Monday at three-thirty. Be there."

Understanding lit Cynthia's gaze as she realized what she had set herself up for. "No, I didn't mean-" she stammered.

"What, are you scared?" interrupted Hannah.

Cynthia narrowed her eyes, looking both desperate and trapped. She couldn't say no to a challenge. "Fine," she spat. "I'll be try out, and I'll make the squad too." Holly breathed a deep sigh. She had a sinking suspicion that somehow Cynthia would pull her into this mess. The last thing she wanted (other than a boyfriend) was to become a cheerleader.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: **_Cynthia (Cinderheat)? Become a cheerleader? The world is turning upside down, people! Jayden...well, he's regular old Jayfeather. :) R&R, the next chapter will be up soon. Sorry it took a few extra days to upload this. _


	4. Chapter 4

**New Characters**

Brad Falls (Birtchfalls)

Lacie Star (Leafpool) (I think I've introduced her before, but this is the first time you actually see her have dialogue, though it is a small part.)

Mrs. Natalie Foster (Nightcloud)

Tina Case (Tawnypelt)

* * *

><p><span>Chapter Four<span>

"Ouch!" cried Brad Falls. "Can't you be gentler?"

"Not if you want it to heal correctly," snapped Jayden, wrapping a bandage around Brad's sprained wrist. He felt the young man wince as he tightened the strap. "I'm finished," he announced, "and just in time. I thought my ears would fall off from your complaints."

"You know," snapped Brad, "you are very unsympathetic for a doctor."

"I'm here to heal your wrist," retorted the medical apprentice. "If you want sympathy, run on home to your wife. I'm sure she'll agree that your injury is _so _deadly." Jayden felt embarrassment flooding off Brad in waves.

"Can I leave now?" the patient muttered mutinously.

"Yes," agreed Jayden after one last inspection of his wrist. "If you have any pain, take some Tylenol, and use some ice. Come back if you feel it's not healing properly."

"Sure thing," agreed Brad, already leaving the room.

Jayden sighed. It was nearly midnight, but people were still coming in for things as simple as sprained wrists, sore throats, and slight fevers. Wasn't the emergency room supposed to be more exciting than this? Yes, Jayden thought with a slash of bitterness, but even if someone came in missing their torso, he wouldn't experience any of the actions. It was true he was beginning to gain the trust of some of the staff, but he still had a long way to go. Blindness was constantly intervening in all aspects of his life. He wished people would stop acting like he was some poor kid with the plague and just treat him normally for once.

"Jayden!" he heard Aunt Lacie call from the hallway. "I need your help listening to Tina Case's lungs. I'm not sure if she has pneumonia or not." Jayden sighed once more. This was going to be one long night.

* * *

><p>Landon grabbed his bag, knowing it was going to be a long day. He would be spending all Saturday stuck in the library, working on his dumb report for Mrs. Foster's class. Turning it in late wasn't an option, either. Mrs. Foster had a short fuse, so to speak. She didn't hesitate to erupt at any innocent student that happened to get on her bad side. She was always handing out lectures like they were candy, and Landon didn't feel like being her human target on Monday.<p>

Landon walked into the hall, envious of his family. Holly had finished her paper, of course, and was napping lazily in her room after a sleepless night at Cynthia's house. And though it was nearly noon, Landon could hear Jayden's gentle snoring floating from their shared room. His mother and father were out for a lunch date together, and wouldn't be home until later that afternoon. It looked like everybody would have an enjoyable day that day, except for him. Well, sitting there moaning about it wasn't going to help, he reflected. He sighed and walked out of the house.

He straddled his bike unwillingly and set off down the road. The ride was shorter than usual, or perhaps it just seemed that way because he was dreading arriving. This was definitely _not _at the top of his "want-to-do" list.

All too soon, he was sitting at a desk, staring at a blank sheet of paper. Where would he even begin? The topic was so dull, he could cry, and he had no motivation to do any research. He continued to stare at it, as if ideas would simply jump from the paper. He sighed after a long, silent moment. Nothing. No ideas, no inspiration, no sudden leap of motivation. Nothing. Zip. Nada.

He stood up, not knowing what else to do, and began browsing the shelves. Suddenly he spotted a familiar figure who was delicately fingering the binds of books. Heather's sparkling blue eyes seemed to be filled with awe. Did she really find these word-filled pages to be interesting? Unexpectedly, he was caught off guard with a rush of interest. Maybe books _weren't _so bad after all, if Heather liked them, anyway…

Heather's eyes slid past the shelves and towards Landon. Landon felt his heart come to a screeching halt. "Hey," she murmured shyly, her cheeks flushing a soft shade of pink.

"Hey," he responded, finally regaining control. "What are you doing here?"

"I, uh, just wanted to check out some books," she stammered. There was an awkward pause. "How about you?" she offered.

"I just came here to check out the view," he said with a smile. Heather's cheeks turned an even darker shade of red. "Will you sit with me? I've got to work on my paper." Landon's pulse quickened. What if she said no? What if she said yes? What was he getting himself into? It was against the rules to date kids from other sides of town. And even if this wasn't a date, he knew this was treading into unknown territory.

"Absolutely," she answered. Landon gave an internal sigh of relief, no longer caring what this would lead into. All that mattered was that the most beautiful girl he had ever seen was walking by his side, close enough to feel her warmth radiating onto his skin. Suddenly a day at the library didn't seem so bad.


	5. Chapter 5

**New Characters**

Briley Foster (Breezepelt)

Ivory Talon (Ivytail)

Oliver Swan (Onestar) (leader of the Windy Hollow neighborhood)

Hazel Lake (Hazeltail)

Ben Lake (Berrynose)

* * *

><p><span>Chapter Five<span>

Landon quickly accepted that he wouldn't be finishing (or even starting, for that matter) his paper. He was too comfortable in the conversation heand Heather had easily fallen into. "…and Briley loves to act like he's Oliver Swan, even though he's just in high school!" she was saying with the roll of her eyes. Her shyness had vanished like dew in the morning sun.

Landon laughed. "Briley?" he echoed in disbelief. "Act like your father? He doesn't seem like the nurturing type."

Heather smiled. "You're right. He's not mean or rude to me, but he acts like he's so superior sometimes! He always prying into what I'm doing, seeing if I'm breaking the rules, and if I'm doing anything that's productive for our neighborhood," she gushed, looking frustrated.

"I know that feeling," Landon admitted, thinking of Holly.

"Really?" Heather pressed.

Landon sighed. He knew they were both talking about things that would be considered too personal between kids from rival neighborhoods, but he couldn't care less at that moment. "My sister can act like such a mother sometimes," he explained. "She cares about my brother and me a lot. She's always watching out for us, making sure we're following the rules and things like that. It can get a little aggravating sometimes."

"I guess we understand each other, then," smiled Heather, her blue eyes shining.

For a moment, Landon couldn't speak. It was cliché, but suddenly, his whole world was drowning in those glistening blue eyes. He finally found his voice and grinned, "I guess we do."

Heather blushed as she had so often around Landon before glancing at her cell phone. "Oh, darn," she muttered.

"What?" he asked.

"I've got to go," she sighed. "It's almost three o'clock, and I'm babysitting some kids in Windy Hollow."

"I wish you didn't have to go," Landon admitted.

"Me too," Heather replied sadly, slowly standing up. "Well, I guess it was nice talking to you." Landon's heart rate quickened. He knew what this meant: goodbye. This friendship couldn't last. It had to be like this; it had to end. But Landon wasn't ready for that to happen.

Knowing he was on a one-way train to serious rule-breaking, he interjected quietly, "I want to see you again. What about tomorrow?"

Heather froze and slowly turned to him. She seemed to sense the seriousness of this as well. Finally she replied, "That'd be wonderful. Where should we meet?"

* * *

><p>The weekend passed faster than lightning, and for the first time in history, so did Monday's classes, or maybe that was just Holly. Dread heavy as lead weighed her down as the last bell rang. Holly sent a quick glare, sharp as daggers, in Cynthia's direction.<p>

"It won't be too bad," Cynthia assured her in an unconvincing voice. Her usually cheerful eyes filled with dismay and disgust.

"You know you have a good friend, right?" demanded Holly.

Cynthia flashed her a grin. "The best!"

Holly's predictions had unfortunately come true. Cynthia had managed to coax Holly into this crazy mess. They were trying out for cheerleading! Cheerleading! Of all the girls trying out for the sport, Cynthia and Holly? No one would believe their eyes. Holly hardly believed it herself. She had seriously considered messing up tryouts just to make sure there was absolutely no chance she'd make the team, but she knew she had to try. She and Cynthia had something in common: they were stubborn as mules. Holly knew that no one in the entire school would ever believe she could accomplish such a feat, and she just _had _to prove them wrong.

Lifting her chin, Holly made her way towards the gym with Cynthia at her side. She stopped at the doors, her fingers brushing the handle. Was she really about to do this? She exchanged a look with Cynthia. "Let's do this," she said firmly, stepping into the gym. It was packed with girls from all of the neighborhoods, each stretching or practicing cartwheels.

As Holly and Cynthia set down their bags at one of the bleachers, a girl Holly recognized as Ivory Talon looked up at them. Her raven black hair was pulled into a tight ponytail and her bright blue eyes glistened with disbelief. "No way!" Ivory exclaimed. "Cynthia? Holly? You're trying out for the squad?"

All the bustle and chatter stopped. Every girl froze and stared at the two girls. "That's right," Cynthia said tightly, her blue eyes blazing. "We're going to make it, too."

Ivory rolled her eyes and scoffed, "Yeah, right!"

"You'll see," Cynthia replied simply, pulling her hair up.

"I guess we will," Paige cut in smoothly, stepping into the room with Hannah by her side. The sisters' eyes looked smug as they studied Cynthia. "Okay, girls!" she called, raising her voice. "Gather around me." She waited as they carried out the orders before continuing confidently, "I am Paige Heart. I am the captain of this team. My sister, Hannah, and I will be teaching you different cheers and moves today that you will need to master in order to make the squad. Today we will be practicing and monitoring your progress. Wednesday we will come back and see who has it in them to cheer." Her eyes scanned each girl slowly as if to make sure everyone understood. "Okay, good. Let's get started!" She smiled with a clap.

By the end of the session, Holly was surprised with herself. She had somehow managed to perfect each flip, cartwheel, and dance without much effort. And what was even more surprising was that she was actually enjoying herself. She glanced at Cynthia, who had also done extraordinarily well. Cynthia's face was red and sweaty, but she wore an expression of triumph and satisfaction. Holly glanced around, feeling the eyes of every girl on her back, and realized that even Ivory was looking impressed.

"Alright, girls!" called Paige enthusiastically. "You all did great today! Keep practicing, and come back after school on Wednesday. We'll make our decision then." Everyone nodded wearily. Cheerleading was a lot harder than it looked, Holly reflected.

She grabbed her things, waved goodbye to Cynthia, and pushed open the gym doors, ready to go home. Much to her surprise, however, she heard a thumping sound and a few muffled groans. With a gasp, Holly slipped into the hall and gazed down at Ben, Matt, and a few other boys from rival neighborhoods. They were all lying on the ground, obviously pushed down unexpectedly when Holly had shoved open the door. Ben moaned and rubbed his head. Matt glanced up at Holly and quickly dropped his eyes, heat rushing to his face. "You didn't!" she spat furiously.

"Come on, Holly," Ben soothed, trying to stand up. "We were just having some fun. You know? Enjoying the view!" He winked, eyeing her short-shorts. Holly wanted to slap him. They must have been watching us this whole time, she realized. They sat there and watched all the pretty girls in short, tight clothing, bounce around like their own personal…Holly cut off her thoughts immediately. She wanted to puke.

"You are such a jerk, Ben!" Holly exclaimed. "These girls are here to practice something they care about, and you have to be a perv and come watch us like a stalker! And what about Hazel- your own sister? She was in there, too! That's so sick!"

"Of course we didn't look at Hazel like that! She's our sister! Geez, stop acting so serious!" Ben snapped, looking annoyed. "You should feel flattered. We took the time to come watch you-"

"Dude, shut up," muttered Matt, standing up with his eyes fixed on the ground. Ben glared at his brother.

"I can't believe you all!" she fumed. "You're all immature perverts with too much time on your hands!" She stalked down the hall, pushing past Ben and Mike coldly.

"Holly, wait!" called Matt desperately.

"Leave me alone!" she shouted, not bothering to look back. She realized suddenly that, despite what she had told Cynthia, she _had _liked Matt. She had liked him since the end of freshmen year, but wouldn't even admit it to herself. She had thought he was different than all the other guys. She had been wrong. An angry tear rolled down her cheek, and she vowed it would be the only one she'd shed for that loser.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: **Drama, much? What do you guys think? Should Matt (Mousewhisker) and Holly have a thing? And who's side are you on at the ending scene? Ben's or Holly's? R&R!


	6. Chapter 6

**New Chatracters:**

None!

**More Random Background Info:**

Holly's, Jayden's, and Landon's birthday is December 3rd. They are currently fifteen, but will be turning sixteen in a few months.

* * *

><p><span>Chapter Six<span>

Jayden brushed his fingers across the page, sighing in boredom. He was reading a collection of Shakespeare plays for literature, and he was currently reading Romeo and Juliet. Though most students adored the story (none of the boys would ever admit it, but Jayden knew they enjoyed it as well), Jayden couldn't stand it. Romeo was a sap, Juliet was overdramatic, and the two fell in love, married, and died within a few days' time. It was quite melodramatic in Jayden's mind. As his fingers ran across the braille words, he wanted to scream. Would this story ever end?

Suddenly he heard the sound of an approaching bicycle rounding on the driveway. He lifted his head from his place at the table and turned toward Landon, who was busily working away on his overdue paper. "Holly's home," he announced.

"Great!" Landon replied, setting down his pencil. "I can't wait to see how tryouts went."

"You mean you want a break from your homework," Jayden accused with a sly grin.

Landon laughed. "Well, that too."

The brothers waited as the door clicked open. Jayden jumped as Holly slammed the door. Though she was in the other room, he could feel fury coming off her in waves. He felt Landon start in surprise as Holly stormed into the kitchen and threw her bags onto the table. She was uncharacteristically silent as she plopped herself into a chair across from her brothers and pulled out her math homework. Landon and Jayden sat in shock for a moment. When Holly was upset, she never hesitated from voicing her feelings. She wasn't afraid to chew you out if you got on her bad side. "Holly?" Landon pressed tenderly after a moment. "Is anything wrong?"

"Wrong?" Holly echoed in a shrill voice. "Of course not! What made you think anything was wrong?" Jayden raised his eyebrow.

"We don't keep secrets from each other," Jayden reminded her. "Just tell us what happened."

Holly's pencil continued to fly across her paper. "I told you," she said, her voice now cold, "Everything's fine."

Jayden sighed and closed his eyes, focusing on his sisters' mind. He pressed tenderly against the mental barriers she had enclosed around herself. He could feel a mixture of embarrassment, disappointment, and anger surging from within her. He was trying to find a string of memories when Holly snapped, "Stop poking around my head, Jayden! It freaks me out!"

"Only if you tell us what happened," countered Jayden. There was a silence cold as ice for a long moment. Jayden could feel Holly's frosty glare, but he didn't back down. He waited patiently, feeling his brother tense beside him.

Finally Holly said in a tight, controlled voice, "It's really not a big deal, you guys. There were just a couple of jerks at tryouts, that's all."

"What? Did some girls laugh at you?" Landon wondered, sounding skeptical. Holly wouldn't be this upset over that. She would be annoyed, yes, but she would look at it as an opportunity to prove them wrong; she always did.

"No," she snapped.

"Then what happened?" Landon demanded.

"On my way out, I caught a few guys peeping on all the girls while they practiced," she admitted, "and when I confronted them about it, they acted _proud_. Ugh! It's so sick! They took the time to spy on girls bouncing around in short, tight clothing. And they told me I should be _flattered!_" Her voice went up an octave. "Flattered! Flattered that a bunch of perverts wanted to goggle over my body like it was candy!"

"Who told you that?" Landon demanded furiously. Jayden knew Landon was itching to punch someone in the face; he could be overprotective sometimes.

Holly muttered, "Nobody. It was just some guy."

"Who?" Landon insisted venemously.

"Ben Lake," she mumbled.

"I'm gonna kill him!" exclaimed Landon, jumping up from his seat. "No one does that to my sister!"

"Landon, please-!"

"Who else was there?" Landon interrupted. "Tell me, Holly."

"I don't think I should-"

"Tell me." Landon's voice was cold and commanding.

Holly seemed to sense there was no way around it. "There were a few guys I didn't recognize from other neighborhoods. The only other boy from Thunder Woods was Matt," she admitted quietly. When she said his name, Jayden could feel her mentally wince.

"I'll kill him too," Landon vowed, slamming his fist down on the table.

"Landon, calm down!" Holly begged. "I shouldn't have said anything. It's really not a big deal."

Landon opened his mouth to argue when the doorbell rang.

"I'll get it," Holly offered immediately, sounding relieved.

As she walked away, Jayden put his hand on his brother's shoulder. "Sit down, Landon," he murmured calmly. "You've got to calm down."

"Don't tell me what to do!"

"You're making Holly feel worse," he insisted. He felt Landon hesitate. Landon knew that Jayden could sense others' emotions and thoughts. If anyone knew what Holly was feeling, Jayden did. Finally, Jayden heard Landon grudgingly take his seat.

"Go away!" Holly was suddenly exclaiming.

Landon jumped up again immediately. Jayden touched his brother's arm gently. "Let her fight her own battles," he advised. Landon muttered something angrily under his breath, but returned to his chair once more. Jayden listened intently to the conversation down the hall, and started in surprise when he realized who was there: Matt.

* * *

><p>Holly strode down the hallway, happy to be away from the ferocious Landon. She opened the door without a second thought, only to realize she had celebrated the temporary break from the tension too early. A tall, brown-haired boy -Matt Lake- was standing there, mouth open, looking uncomfortable. Before he could bring a word from his mouth, Holly narrowed her eyes and slammed the door in his face.<p>

"Holly, please!" he begged, his voice sounding muffled because of the barrier that the wall provided.

"Go away!" she cried, trembling.

"I'm here to apologize!" he insisted. "I feel terrible!"

"Too late," she spat. "Now leave me alone!"

She expected him to turn around right then and leave, but he surprised her by saying, "I'm not leaving until you talk to me." She peeped through the glass and spotted him settling down on the porch steps stubbornly. She sighed and leaned against the wall. The last thing Holly wanted was for this jerk to be sitting at her house all day. After a moment of consideration, she took a deep breath and slipped out onto the front porch, closing the door tenderly.

Holly folded her arms and glared down at Matt. "I'm here," she announced. He glanced up at her, looking surprised she surrendered so easily. "Now get talking before I change my mind."

Matt stood up and looked Holly right in the eye. "What I did was wrong," he began. "And I'm really sorry." His blue eyes were filled with distress. Holly wanted to snap back a sarcastic reply, but those eyes…something about those eyes. They took on a note of honesty. Holly knew right then that he meant it. He _was _sorry. She gazed at him thoughtfully, mulling over what she should do. The silence stretched.

Finally she murmured, "That hurt me, you know. I thought you were different. I thought you respected me for who I was." She could feel her blazing green eyes beginning to sting, but she refused to show any weakness.

Matt took a step towards her. "I know," he told her sadly, "and it kills me that I let you down."

Holly kept her arms crossed. "What are you going to do about it?" she inquired.

"Do about it?" he repeated, looking confused.

"Yes," Holly answered. "Did you really think that you could come apologize, we would hug, and you'd be forgiven just like that?"

"Well…yeah," Matt admitted.

"That's not how it works," Holly informed him, raising her eyebrow. "Trust isn't a gift, it's a reward. You have to earn it."

Matt was quiet for a moment, seeming to consider this. After a long minute, he looked up and took another step towards her. His blue eyes were soft and tender. "You're right. I'll make it up to you _and_ earn your trust." He took a deep breath, looking suddenly very nervous. "I'm taking you to dinner."

Holly toyed with her jet black hair, biting her lip. "So you peep on me, destroy my confidence in you, and ruin my entire day," she began harshly. Matt winced, and she continued, "and now you're asking me on a date?" Matt nodded and stared at the ground. Holly felt a grin grow on her face. "I accept," she smiled. Matt looked up at her in shock.

"Really?" he demanded, looking astonished.

"Really," Holly grinned. Now it was her turn to move towards him. "Pick me up on Friday night, seven o'clock sharp. Be there on time." She kissed him quickly on the cheek and turned back towards the house.

"I won't let you down this time!" he called after her.

"I trust you," she replied simply, closing the door with a smile.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: **What did you guys think? Did Holly make the right choice is accepting the offer? And how do you think Landon will react?


	7. Chapter 7

**New Characters**:  
>None!<p>

* * *

><p><span>Chapter Seven<span>

Holly smiled at her reflection, turning to the side to examine her appearance. Her curled black hair lied silkily on her shoulders. She wore light denim skinny jeans, a navy blue blouse that hugged her figure perfectly, and a formal pair of beige sandals with blue flowers at the toe. Her face encompassed a touch of makeup, making the already radiant girl absolutely beautiful. Holly sighed, her emerald eyes doubtful. Was this too much? What if Matt didn't like it? She pushed away her misgivings, and turned away from the mirror. It was six fifty-five. Matt would be here any minute. Holly's heart gave a distinct leap and her stomach churned in anticipation.

Braiden had given Holly the "talk" earlier that week when he discovered that his daughter was going on a date. It had been excruciating in Holly's eyes. She winced just thinking about it. Suddenly she heard the sound her door clicking. She whipped around and came face-to-face with Landon. She watched silently as he took a seat on her bed. Landon had been furious with her for accepting Matt's offer, but she had let it go. He just needed time to get used to it.

Landon stared up at her with his golden-brown eyes. "I don't think you're making the right choice," he began for the millionth time that week.

Holly sighed. "I know, I know. You've told me already."

"Then why won't you listen?" he countered, sitting up straighter. "Matt isn't good news."

Holly raised her eyebrow. "Oh, really? You were friends just last week!" she exclaimed.

Landon huffed, "That was _before _he peeped on my sister!"

Holly joined her brother on the edge of the bed. She looked into his worried amber eyes. "I'll be fine, Landon," she insisted patiently. "I promise."

Landon rolled his eyes. "Why do you like him anyways? I thought you were ticked about him peeping on you," he wondered.

"I was," she admitted. "That's why he's taking me out. I told him that saying sorry wasn't enough, that he has to earn my trust before I'll forgive him."

Landon hissed, "Girls are so stupid sometimes! That's what all guys will do! I've seen it a million times. They make girls feel like they care just so they can get them in-"

"Matt's different!" Holly replied defensively. "And don't you _dare _think I'd do anything with him! Have some faith in me!"

Landon sighed. "Fine. I trust _you _not to do anything stupid, but if _he _tries any funny business…" He cracked his knuckles. "Game on."

"Nothing will happen," Holly repeated, rolling her eyes. "I won't let him do anything, okay?"

Landon looked at his sister skeptically. "Promise?"

"It's not your business, but yes," Holly agreed. "I promise." Landon relaxed, and Holly knew then that his anger had never been truly directed at her.

At that moment, the doorbell rang, and Holly gave a start. Matt was here. Her stomach squirmed, her fingers trembled, and she felt both terrified and thrilled. "Be home early," Landon instructed as Holly stood up. "Not a minute after curfew."

"Since when are you Mom?" demanded Holly, grabbing her purse.

"Since when have you cared about boys?" countered Landon. Holly felt her cheeks flush, but ignored him, and raced down the stairs. Her mother had already opened the door and invited Matt inside. His chocolate brown hair was smoothed down, and he was wearing a blue shirt from Hollister.

When Holly appeared in the hallway, Matt's jaw dropped. Holly smiled at his awed expression, her butterflies flying away. "Hey," she greeted warmly, grabbing his hand confidently. "Ready to go?"

Matt regained control and nodded. "Absolutely," he replied with a smile, glancing down at their intertwined hands. After a moment, Shay Conner gave a small cough. Matt looked up at Holly's mother quickly and said hurriedly, "What time should she be home by?"

"No later than ten," Shay told him. Braiden suddenly appeared at his wife's side.

"Keep my little girl safe," he grumbled threateningly. Matt gulped.

"He will," Holly assured her father, pulling the door open quickly. "Now stop trying to scare away my date."

Once they were out of the house, Holly saw Matt relax. "Sorry," she apologized sheepishly. "My dad can be pretty protective sometimes."

"I don't blame him," Matt said, opening her car door with a grin. "You're too beautiful to lose."

Holly beamed at him. She knew the comment was pretty sappy, but when he said it, all her doubts disappeared. Climbing into the front seat of his 2002 Saturn, she asked, "Where are we going?"

Putting the keys in the ignition, he answered, "I was thinking about going to this beach-themed restaurant. Do you like crab?"

Holly nodded. "I love it!"

Matt smiled. "Me too."

He pulled out of the driveway and drove down the gravel road. As they neared the exit of Thunder Woods, Matt glanced at Holly and said, "I heard you made the squad."

Holly nodded, feeling suddenly very proud. "I did."

Matt raised his eyebrow skeptically. "I can't see you as a cheerleader," he told her doubtfully.

"Oh, really? And just why not?" Holly shot back defiantly.

Matt laughed. "I don't know if I should say. It might sound stupid," he admitted.

Holly grinned. "Come on," she pressed. "Tell me."

"Okay," he agreed, "but don't laugh. It might sound pretty cheesy."

"I promise not to laugh," Holly vowed.

"I just see you as this independent girl who sticks to her gut and won't stoop down to please other people," he began. "Being a cheerleader just doesn't…fit that, you know?"

Holly smiled. "The only reason I'm becoming a cheerleader is to prove everybody wrong about me," she explained. "They didn't think I could do it, but I did." A note of triumph shook her voice.

Matt chuckled, "Well _that _makes much more sense. Of course, leave it to Holly to stick it to the man!"

"You sound like a flower child," she giggled.

"Maybe I am," he challenged playfully.

"Hmm…maybe you should take me home, then," Holly mused with a wink. "I don't know if I can date a hippy."

"Well, _this _hippy is taking you out for crab," he reminded her.

"Okay, then I'll stay," she said, "if only for the crab."

"At least I know the key to your heart now," he teased. "Crab!"

"Absolutely," Holly agreed with an easy grin. She knew this was going to be a great night.

* * *

><p>It was nine thirty when they got back to the house. Holly grasped Matt's hand and led him to the porch. They stood beside the door, grinning at each other like idiots. "Thanks. I had a great time," she murmured.<p>

"I did too," Matt smiled down at her, his blue eyes sparkling. He leaned down, his lips an inch away from hers. She turned her head slightly to the side and felt Matt kiss her gently on the cheek.

"Maybe next time," Holly offered breathlessly, wishing she had let herself fall into the kiss. It would have been easy. It would have been effortless. It would have been…stupid. Holly wanted to trust Matt, and she thought she could, but she wouldn't let herself be fooled.

"Okay," he murmured in her ear, pecking her cheek one last time. "I've got to go. Maybe we can go out again next weekend?"

"I'd really like that," Holly told him, feeling heat rush to where his lips had pressed into her skin.

Matt let go of her hand slowly. "Good night, Holly," he said, taking a step off the porch.

"Good night, Matt," she replied, stepping into the house.

The moment she closed the door, she heard a voice say, "You made the right choice."

Holly whipped around to see Landon leaning against the wall. "Were you watching us?" she demanded shrilly.

Landon rolled his eyes. "Of course," he answered as if it were obvious. "You're my sister; I have to watch out for you."

Holly felt embarrassment rise up inside her. "I can keep care of myself, Landon," she snapped.

Landon stepped towards his sister. "Of course you can," he agreed, his eyes glistening with a pride that belonged to a father. "That's why you didn't kiss him."

Holly felt herself blush. "That is none of your business!" she retorted.

"I know you're not really mad," Landon told her.

"No," she admitted grudgingly, "just really annoyed."

Her brother grinned. "You'll get over it. Now come upstairs. Jayden is waiting for a report."

"Jayden? It's not his busin-"

Landon rolled his eyes. "We just want to know if you have fun. Geez, Holly. Quit acting so defensive. It's not like anything interesting happened."

Holly challenged defiantly, "And what if it did?"

Landon chuckled and shrugged, "Matt would be a dead man."

Holly felt her irritation melt, and she smiled. Landon could be way too overprotective, but he was her brother and one of her best friends. He just wanted to keep her safe. "I'll be sure to remind him if he ever brings up 'interesting' subjects," she giggled. "Now let's go. We wouldn't want to keep Jayden waiting."

* * *

><p><strong>AN: **Do you think Holly was smart to make Matt wait for their first kiss? Or should she have just let it happen? (Note: I will NOT be describing/letting anything happen further than kissing in this story.) Please review! :)


	8. Chapter 8

**New Characters:**

None

**More Random Background Info: **

Landon doesn't particularily like country music. He likes a mixture of rap, pop, and rock. (This will make sense soon, by the way.)

* * *

><p><span>Chapter Eight<span>

Landon walked down the dusty road, feeling exhausted. It was the last Monday of September, and while cheerleading tryouts had ended the previous week, football tryouts had just begun. Just as last year, the coaches and other hopefuls were impressed with his speed and skill, though Landon rarely gave it a thought. Sports had always been natural to him. He always scored in soccer, made touchdowns in football, hit homeruns in baseball, and swam laps faster than anyone else.

And while those things had come easily, what truly came effortlessly was his ability to fight. Though he had drastically dropped the number of fights he got himself into since middle school, Landon knew that he could rely on this skill. Not once in his life had he lost a fight. He didn't pride himself in being the best or boast of his victories, but somehow throwing a punch seemed easier than breathing. He had learned patience over the years, now knowing when to simply walk away without violence, but it was best not to push him too far. Once you got him going, it was hard for him to stop.

Landon pushed away his memories of old battles. He was in too good a mood, knowing that for the third time since the day at the library, he would be meeting Heather in secret. Football tryouts gave him the perfect excuse not to take the bus home, which worked out because their meeting spot was down the road from the school, midway between Windy Hollow and Thunder Woods. Heather had told him about a trail she had found in woods off to the right of the dirt roads. They never walked too far into the trees, just enough so that they wouldn't be spotted.

Landon saw the gnarled oak root, signaling that he needed to step off the road and turn into the grove of trees. He stepped over the wild weeds and tall grass, fighting his way passed the oak. Once there, he spotted the small trail and followed it for a short while until he reached the creek. He took a deep breath, feeling himself relax. After such a long day, he could think of no other place he'd rather be.

Landon settled down at the water's stony shore, watching the bubbling stream drift lazily in the sun. While he waited for Heather to arrive, he was suddenly struck with a realization: His life was starting to mimic a country song. He was meeting a girl by a creek tucked away in the woods. How many country songs had he heard about creeks? Now all he needed was a beer and a fishing pole! He laughed. _Well_, he reflected, _if this is what country music is then maybe it's not so bad after all._

Landon suddenly heard a branch snap, and he turned his head to see Heather making her way to the edge of the creek. "Hey," she greeted warmly, her brunette hair gold in the sun. She took a seat next to Landon, not seeming to even consider that her nice jeans would be getting dirty. She no longer withheld shyly, but instead seemed comfortable around him.

"Hey," he smiled at her. "I've missed you."

Heather laughed. "I just saw you on Saturday!" she giggled.

"Only two days?" Landon questioned with a grin. "It felt a lot longer than that."

Heather leaned toward him. "I know that feeling," she agreed. They sat in content silence for a moment before Heather glanced back over at Landon. "So you're trying out for football?" she asked.

Landon nodded. "I'm hoping to be quarterback," he admitted, "but it's a long shot. I'm only a sophomore."

"I think you should try anyways," she encouraged. "You made it to varsity in freshmen year. Compared to that, this is hardly considered impossible."

"You know about that?" Landon asked, puzzled.

Heather laughed her trilling laugh. "Of course!" she answered. "It's a small town, you know. Word spreads like wild fire."

Her words echoed in his mind. _Word spreads like wild fire. _Did that mean that if their secret somehow leaked out, it would be impossible to quiet? Did that mean that one day, their neighborhoods would find out? _No, _he told himself firmly. _We're the only two in the whole town that know about us. Besides, we're just friends…_

"True enough," he answered her after a moment. "Enough about me, though. How have you been? Has anything exciting happened at all?" He enjoyed these simple moments with her. Though their conversations were usually light, they always made him smile

"Actually, yes," Heather replied seriously, "but you can't tell anyone."

"You can trust me," Landon assured her.

"Okay." She took a deep breath before confessing, "I've been seeing this guy. We haven't officially gone on a date yet, but I'm really like him." Landon's heart dropped. I guess they really were just friends, after all.

Trying to mask his disappointment, he pressed, "Really?"

"Yeah, he's great, but I don't think my parents would approve," she admitted. "I'm starting to realize that I don't care what they would think, though. He makes me happy."

"Oh," Landon replied lamely. "What's he like?"

"He's tall," Heather began with shining eyes, "handsome, and athletic. Oh, and he has the most beautiful eyes. I feel like I'm drowning in them every time I look at him. The weirdest and best thing of all, though, is that he _listens _to me. That's rare." _Great, _Landon thought dryly. _He sounds like every girls' dream! _

"What's his name?" he asked, toying with a pebble on the shore.

"Guess," she insisted.

"Briley?" he guessed, trying to look composed. _Geez, what was I thinking? Did I really think I could land a girl like _that? _Of course she has another guy lined up! _he kept thinking.

"No way!" Heather gagged. "I'll give you a hint. He has this thing for visiting some creek just to see me. Oh, and he's hoping to be the school's quarter back this year." Landon suddenly caught on. He was impressed with her bold flirting, even if he felt like an idiot for not catching on sooner.

"I think I found someone, too," he confessed, grinning.

"Oh?" Heather giggled.

"Yeah," Landon smiled. "She's amazing. She's probably the most beautiful girl I've ever seen. She's kind, gentle, funny, and a bit more flirty than I realized."

"Who is this girl?" Heather asked, leaning closer towards him.

"Three guesses," he murmured in her ear. Heather tilted her head back until they were only inches apart. "I like you a lot, Heather."

"I like you too, Landon," she whispered breathlessly. He pulled her in and kissed her softly on her lips. He then forced himself to sit back, content to simply hold her hand as the small river rushed on.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: **I meant no offense to country music-lovers! :) I don't mind country myself. Anyways, do you like HeatherxLandon? Do you think it will last?


	9. Chapter 9

**New Characters: **

Coach Gray Stan (Graystripe)

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter Nine<strong>

Holly watched Landon silently as he started his homework. They were sitting on the couch in the living room, Landon working on math, Holly on science. Jayden was upstairs in his and Landon's room listening to an audio medical journal. Landon was suddenly smiling, and Holly narrowed her eyes suspiciously. Math was Landon's least favorite subject. His thoughts couldn't be on school alone.

Landon had been in an exceptionally good mood lately. When Holly asked him about it, he simply shrugged and said something like, "I just had a good day." Holly knew better than that. She couldn't explain it, but there was a certain gleam in his eyes that she'd never truly seen before. He was more spacy than usual, as if his mind was somewhere else. On top of that, he had been late for dinner twice that week. He had apologized, stating that it was only because of football practice, but for whatever reason, Holly didn't buy it.

Her eyes returning to her text book, Holly sighed. Something was up. Landon was hiding something from her and Jayden for perhaps the first time ever. She vowed at that moment that she would get to the bottom of it.

* * *

><p>"Why are we doing this again?" hissed Cynthia so only Holly could hear. Holly glanced over at her best friend. They were hiding underneath the high school bleachers, peeking up at football tryouts every so often.<p>

"I told you," Holly whispered in reply. "Landon's up to something, and I'm going to find out what."

"How is this helping?" Cynthia demanded.

Holly explained, "When practice is over, we're going to follow Landon home very carefully. He's been really late for dinner lately, and I know that it's not just because of football."

"How do you know?" Cynthia challenged.

Holly hesitated. "I just do," she said finally, looking at her friend pleadingly.

Cynthia sighed. "You know you have a good friend, right?" she checked.

Holly grinned. "The best," she assured her.

Finally, Coach Gray blew his whistle and practice came to a close. Holly watched as the boys put away the equipment and eventually began walking away. She spotted Landon eagerly mounting his bike, and she turned to Cynthia. "This is our chance," she hissed.

Holly darted out of the bleachers and sneaked past the concessions stand, keeping her eyes on her brother. Landon was pulling a corner to a dirt road that led toward both his house and the Windy Hollow neighborhood. Glancing around to make sure no one was watching, Holly ran as fast as she could, Cynthia by her side, to the tree line that edged the road's side.

They came to a halt behind a protective layer of bushes and trees, panting. Holly was exhausted, but she knew she couldn't give up now. She watched as her brother appeared to grow smaller and smaller on the dusty path. For a brief moment, she thought they would have to continue running once more, but he suddenly stopped. Holly's heart skipped a beat as Landon got off his bike, hid it behind a large oak, and stepped into the forest. Holly exchanged a glance with Cynthia.

"What are we waiting for?" demanded Cynthia, looking suddenly interested.

"Let's go," Holly agreed.

The two girls sprinted to the spot where Landon had set down his bike. It was leaning on a giant oak tree with gnarled roots. Next to the tree were two sets of footprints. There was someone Landon was meeting with, Holly realized. She took a deep breath before stepping into the cool, shaded forest.

Holly and Cynthia followed the footprints for a short while before quickly hiding when they spotted Landon talking to a figure who was hidden behind a branch. Holly leaned forward, moving her head to the side to see who was there. She gasped when she recognized the familiar face.

Horror and fury boiled inside of her as Landon leaned down and fell into a long, passionate kiss with Heather. Holly didn't think twice before jumping out of her hiding place and storming up to her brother. "Landon!" she shrieked, her eyes a green blazing fire.

Landon and Heather pulled apart, startled. Heather's eyes filled with anxiety when she saw Holly standing there. Landon stood rigidly, appearing both embarrassed and furious. "What's your problem?" he snapped.

"My problem?" Holly echoed, her voice raising an octave. "My _problem_ is you, Landon! You know this against the rules! You can't be dating her! She's from another neighborhood."

"Stop me, then," he challenged, his amber eyes smoldering her. Landon took a step forward, crossing his arms defensively.

"I will," she retorted, hardly aware of Cynthia coming to stand by her.

"How? What are you going to do? Tell Mom and Dad?" Landon mocked. "Oh, I'm so scared!"

"Yes, actually," Holly replied coldly. She felt a twinge of satisfaction when a fear flashed in Landon's eyes.

"You wouldn't!" he exclaimed, mortified.

"I would," she insisted evenly. "And I will, if I have to."

Landon glared at his sister before shouting, "Why do you have to ruin everything, Holly? Why can't you let me be happy?"

"This isn't right, Landon," she spat. "You're breaking the rules, and if you continue, you'll hurt everyone around you. How is _that_ making you happy?"

"_She _makes me happy!" Landon cried, pointing to Heather.

"Stop trying to argue, Landon," Holly said coolly. "It's over. End this now, or Mom and Dad will know before you can say 'Heather.'"

Landon opened his mouth to shoot a scathing retort, but closed it. His eyes remained furious, but he managed to choke out after a minute, "Fine. Tell them. I don't care." He kissed Heather one last time before stalking away. Heather left a moment later with an unreadable expression.

Holly stood there for a moment, exhaustion suddenly weighing her down. She sighed and said in a sour tone, "That went well." Cynthia patted her on the back sympathetically.

"I won't tell anyone," she promised. "This is between you and Landon."

Holly flashed a small smile at her friend. "Thanks," she murmured. As the two friends exited the woods, Holly knew that this battle was far from over.

* * *

><p><strong>AN:** First off, I am SO sorry I haven't updated in so long. I will update again in a few days. So what do you think of this chapter? Who's side are you on: Holly's or Landon's? (I know other people who have asked questions like this, but I like it, so I'm going to ask...) What do you think Heather/Landon's theme song is?

Also, here is a warning I forgot to include in the last chapter (It might sound pretty obvious, but I just need to put it out there) : While Landon's and Heather's meeting spot might sound romantic, **I would NOT advise you to meet someone in the woods when you are alone.** That could be EXTREMELY dangerous. It's okay for Landon and Heather because they are fictional characters, but you readers are quite real. Be careful.


	10. Chapter 10

**New Characters: **

none

**More Random Background Info:**

Braiden Conner is one of the head counselors in the city counsil of Forest Creek. He is one of the two representatives for Thunder Woods (the other being Felix Star).

In the story, it is now October 1st.

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter Ten<strong>

Landon slammed the front door and stormed upstairs. Stalking into his room, he threw himself onto his bed and pressed his face into his pillow. Shock and fury wracked his body uncontrollably. How had Holly even managed to find him? Why was she treating him like such a body? Would she really tell Mom and Dad?

"What's wrong with you?" demanded Jayden from the other bed. Landon glanced up at his brother who was setting down a braille book.

"I'm sure Holly will tell you soon enough," Landon growled, sitting up.

"Do you really want her to explain it first then?" countered his brother, his blue eyes appearing both curious and concerned.

Landon froze for a moment and considered Jayden's words. Grudgingly, he realized his brother was right. "Holly caught me…doing something I shouldn't have been doing," he began hesitantly.

"And?" pressed Jayden. "You're making it sound like you killed someone!"

"No one's dead…yet," Landon sighed. "Once Mom and Dad find out, though, they'll kill me."

"What did you do?" repeated Jayden with wide eyes.

"I…" Landon's voice trailed off. It felt weird to be talking about this after keeping it secret for so long, especially with Jayden. He loved his brother, but between his dry sarcasm and weird way of almost reading your thoughts, topics like these were hard to discuss. "I've been seeing Heather a lot lately. We were just friends, but it's a lot more than that now."

"Heather?" echoed Jayden in disbelief. "From Windy Hollow? You _like _her?"

Landon nodded before remembering his brother wouldn't see him. "Yeah," he confessed. "We've been meeting after school where we thought no one would find us, but Holly caught us together today. She demanded that I stopped being with Heather." He spit out the last words ferociously, anger surging once more within him.

"That's not ironic or anything," Jayden commented dryly.

Landon tilted his head in confusion. "What do you mean?" he wondered.

"Just last weekend you were telling Holly who she could and couldn't date," Jayden reminded him. "You played the over-protective sibling role then, maybe it's her turn now."

"That's completely different!" Landon exclaimed.

"How?" Jayden challenged.

"Holly is _allowed _to like Matt!" Landon burst out. "She's allowed to hold his hand, go on dates, and even kiss him if she wants. It's not against the rules! But I'm _not_ allowed to like Heather, Jayden! I'm not allowed to even _want _to kiss her!" There was silence for a moment before Landon groaned, "And if I don't stop it, Holly threatened to tell Mom and Dad. I'm dead!"

"Then why don't you stop seeing her, idiot?" retorted Jayden.

"I can't!" Landon cried.

"Why not?" Jayden demanded.

"You're training to be a doctor. You're not _supposed_ to love anyone. I wouldn't expect you to understand," muttered Landon.

Jayden leaned back and considered this for a long moment. "Do you love her?" he wondered quietly.

"I don't know," Landon whispered. "I care about her, but I'm just so confused right now." He ran his fingers through his golden spiked hair, trying to calm himself.

"I'm going to talk with Holly before Mom and Dad get home," Jayden announced. "Maybe I can persuade her to hold off on telling them anything. I don't think I'm ready for my brother's funeral just yet."

Landon stared at his brother in awe. "Really? Do you mean it?" he demanded incredulously.

"Yes, of course I mean it!" snorted Jayden. "I don't speak for the pleasure of hearing my own voice." Landon hardly heard his brother's scathing reply. He knew it was a long shot, but suddenly there was a flutter of hope rising in his gut.

* * *

><p>Jayden stood up off the bed as he heard the door creak open downstairs. He felt a sudden prick on anxiety spike from Landon, but ignored it. He walked out of the room and stepped down the stairs carefully. (Even though he had lived in that house all his life, and could navigate without sight easily, he never grew completely comfortable with the staircase.) As he arrived on the first story, he heard Holly hanging her bag on the rack next to the door. "Hey, Holly," he greeted, walking up to her. "What time is it?"<p>

"Four-thirty," Holly answered, sounding bone weary. _That gives us an hour to settle things before Mom and Dad get home from work, _Jayden concluded.

"Will you talk with me in the living room?" Jayden asked.

"Sure," she agreed.

Jayden flopped onto the couch a few moments later and waited for his sister to do the same. When they were comfortable, Holly questioned, "What do you want to talk about?"

"Landon," he replied, trying his best to look her straight in the eye.

"He told you?" she guessed sourly.

Jayden nodded. "I'm not saying I agree with it, but I'm not saying I agree with your tactics either," he began.

"My tactics?" Holly echoed before he could continue. "You mean how I'm going to tell Mom and Dad?"

"Yes," he answered. "There are other ways to handle it."

"Like what?" Holly challenged.

Jayden lowered his voice. "It's a high school romance, Holly. It's not like it's going to mean anything in a year from now," he pointed out.

"That's not the point," she hissed. "The point is that he is breaking the rules. If his secret got out to the whole neighborhood, it would hurt him more than he'd like to think. It's best to end it now."

"That may be true," admitted Jayden, "but can you just hold off a few more weeks? Let's wait and see how it goes. Maybe they'll be over it by next week or something. You never know with teenager. Telling our parents will only get him in trouble. Serious trouble. More than _you _would like to think." He could feel Holly's twinge of hesitation, and took advantage of the opportunity. "Trust me. Please, Holly? Don't do this to Landon."

There was a moment of silence and then, "Fine," Holly gave in, "but only for a few weeks. If it gets any more serious, I swear I'm going to tell them."

Jayden relaxed, sighing quietly in relief. "Thanks," he breathed, grateful that his brother wouldn't be doomed to certain death by lecture, and that the argument had been settled.

Suddenly, though, Landon's voice drifted from the arch of the living room. "Just tell me before you decide to ruin my life, okay?" he spat at Holly.

"Fine," she replied icily.

Jayden tensed once more, feeling awkward. Maybe things wouldn't work out between his siblings as easily as he had hoped.

* * *

><p><strong>AN:**

1st: **THIS IS THE TENTH CHAPTER OF FOREST CREEK!** :) Thank you all SO much for reading it up to this point. Maybe we can get a few extra reviews for this special occasion?

2nd: Who do you think is right? Landon, Holly, or Jayden (who is nuteral)?

3rd: I know this isn't exactly how it happened in the books, but I thought it'd be interesting to bring Jayden into the mix.


	11. Chapter 11

**New Characters:**

none

**To all my reviews for the previous chapters, THAKNK YOU SO MUCH! :)**

**WARNING FOR THIS CHAPTER: DRAMA ALERT! **

* * *

><p>Chapter Eleven<p>

Landon treaded through the woods, his mind on Heather. She was all he had been able to think about since his fight with Holly. He knew that he only had a few weeks to come up with another way to see her. He had to make sure no one, especially Holly, would find them again. It was either come up with a plan soon or breakup with Heather. Just the thought made him flinch. Landon had always liked Heather, but he had never realized just how much he needed her- not until he was faced with the possibility of losing her. As he made his way to the creek, he hardly noticed the newly colored leaves or the brisk wind. He didn't stop to think that these small changes might have more meaning than they were letting on.

Landon spotted Heather sitting on a large rock, gazing into the stream. He quickened his pace and joined her. "Hey, beautiful," he murmured as he took a seat next to her. Heather glanced at him with solemn blue eyes.

"Did she tell?" she whispered. Knowing exactly what she meant, Landon shook his head. Heather exhaled slowly, looking relieved. "It's only been two days since she found us," Heather continued, "but it feels so much longer than that. I've been so worried."

"I know how you feel," agreed Landon, running his hand through his hair. "It took an act of Congress for me to even meet you today."

"What do you mean?" Heather wondered. "Did Holly try to stop you?"

Landon shook his head. "No. She doesn't even know I'm here. She's been glancing Thunder Wood's front gates almost every five minutes, just to make sure I haven't tried to sneak off," he replied.

"How did you get away?" Heather asked.

Landon hesitated. Should he really tell her? It wasn't a big deal, but it was a weakness of his neighborhood. He wasn't supposed to even be with Heather, much less share his neighborhood's flaws with her. Then he shrugged. He trusted her. "On the edge of Thunder Woods, there's a few lose bars on the fence. That part of the gate is hidden by a giant oak tree, so I always know where to find it. I just remove the bars, slip out, and put them back in," he answered simply.

Heather took his hand in hers and looked straight into his eyes. "You're risking so much for me," she murmured.

"I have to," he whispered. "I can't just give up on you. I care about you too much."

"I care about you, too, Landon," she breathed, leaning into him.

Landon wrapped his arms around her and gave into a passionate kiss, forgetting momentarily about his troubles.

* * *

><p>The next morning, Jayden woke up with a wide yawn, rubbing the sleep from his eyes. He listened to his brother's soft snoring for a moment before trudging out of bed. It was Sunday morning, but he wouldn't be sleeping in like his brother and sister. He would be working at the hospital again, and Aunt Lacie would be picking him up soon.<p>

After getting ready for the day, Jayden carefully navigated down the staircase and walked into the kitchen. "Good morning, sweetheart!" Shay welcomed her son as he entered the room. "What are you doing up so early?"

_I could ask you the same thing, Mom, _he wanted to snap, but refrained from doing so. He hated his motives being questioned. "Aunt Lacie is picking me up by eight-thirty," he responded with a shrug. Grabbing an apple, he made his way over to the table and took a seat next to Shay.

"Would you like me to wash that for you?" Shay offered.

Before Jayden could snap back a scathing retort, he heard the front door fly open. He felt Shay start beside him. "Braiden?" she called.

Jayden listened as his father stormed into the kitchen, throwing his coat down on the counter. Shock coursed through Jayden. Such a mood was rarely found looming in his father. Even when Braiden was angry, he managed to stay cool and calm. This was certainly not the case.

"What's wrong?" Shay demanded, worry spiking from her.

"Windy Hollow," Braiden spat.

"Windy Hollow?" Shay repeated. "What do they have to do with anything?"

"I was supposed to attend a neighborhood council meeting," he explained. "I was walking to Felix's house to discuss with him the matters of Thunder Woods, when I saw the state of our neighborhood." Jayden flinched away from the fury that was seething off his father.

"What happened?" Shay prompted.

"Some kids from Windy Hollow came through last night," Braiden fumed. "They vandalized the area. They spray painted some of the houses, toilet papered most of our trees, egged families' front doors, and forked many yards. It's a complete mess!"

Shay gasped. "How did they ever get in?" she wondered. "Thunder Woods is gated, just like every other neighborhood!"

"Either someone let them in," Braiden replied grimly, "or they found another form entrance."

A stunned silence filled the room. Jayden realized that he hadn't even taken a bite of his apple. He set it down, no longer hungry. "May I be excused?" he muttered.

"Sure," Shay responded distractedly.

Jayden stood up and raced up the stairs. He flew into his room and ran up to Landon's bed. He shook his brother fiercely. "Landon!" he hissed. "Landon, wake up!"

Landon groaned, "Five more minutes!"

"No," Jayden snapped, shaking him once more. "Wake up now. It's about Windy Hollow."

Jayden heard his brother spring up like a bullet. "What about Windy Hollow?" Landon demanded in a low voice. "Is Heather alright?"

"It's not about Heather," Jayden retorted, rolling his eyes. "A bunch of kids from her neighborhood tore through Thunder Woods last night. They made a mess. It's going to take the entire neighborhood to clean it up."

"What?" exclaimed Landon.

"Do you know how they could have found a way in?" hissed Jayden.

Landon bristled. "Of course not! I-" he cut off mid-snarl. "Oh no," he moaned, disbelief and betrayal pulsating from within.

"What did you do?" demanded Jayden with wide eyes. Landon paid him no attention. As the silence stretched, Jayden felt Landon's shock turn into cold fury. Suddenly, he was pushing passed Jayden. "What are you doing?"

Jayden listened as his brother pulled on new clothes before storming out of the room. "Ending this," Landon called coldly over his shoulder.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: **What do you guys think? Is Landon the victim or did he bring this on himself? Or is it a little bit of both? Reviews, please!


	12. Chapter 12

**New Characters:** Ms. Poppy (Tallpoppy)

Chapter Thirteen

Landon's legs couldn't move fast enough as he peddled madly down the street. _She didn't. She couldn't have! _His mind swirled like the wheels on his bicycle. _No, no, no. _But a small part of his mind had accepted the truth: Heather had betrayed him. He had revealed a seemingly harmless secret which she had obviously not hesitated to share with her neighborhood. If he hadn't trusted her, the neighborhood wouldn't be full of egged doors, toilet-papered trees, and a ruined playground. _No, no, no! _

The bronze-haired boy was hardly aware of the direction he was taking. His mind was buzzing like a bees' nest, his heart pounding like a hammer in his chest. He had been such an idiot! Holly had been right all along! It suddenly crashed down on him, harder and faster than a boulder. _Holly was right._ The thought echoed this mind uncontrollably. _She was right. She was right. _It had all been his fault. Every touch, every kiss, every forbidden desire had led to this. Not only would he return home to a mess, he would return home to bitter, angry friends and family. He had disappointed each and every one of them by breaking the rules. _What have I done?_

Suddenly, he found himself outside of the library. Being the bookworm that she was, Landon knew that he could count on her being here at some point that Saturday. Anger splashed his insides like acid. He knew he would wait here all day if he had to. Slamming his bike into the bushes, he stalked up to the entrance and pulled on the door. It was locked. Landon cursed loudly.

"I never knew kids from Thunder Woods could be so impatient!" commented Ms. Poppy, an old, crinkly woman from Shadowed Pines. "Why! I've never heard such a filthy mouth!"

Landon tried not to roll his eyes. This librarian was from a rival neighborhoods, but she was an elder all the same. "Sorry, ma'am," he muttered.

The old woman shuffled forward, fumbling with the keys in her hand. Finally, finding the correct key, the librarian opened the doors. "We're open now, kiddo, so get inside," she grumbled.

Landon hesitated, realizing that Heather would not yet be here. "It wouldn't do me any good," he murmured, mostly to himself.

Ms. Poppy stomped her foot on the ground before hobbling inside, muttering something about "youngsters." Ignoring her, Landon took a seat on the steps. It didn't matter how long he waited. It didn't matter how hot the day grew. Clenching his fists, he gazed at the building's front door, only looking up when he heard the soft patter of footsteps.

The sun rose inch by inch until finally, after searching countless faces, he heard the familiar angelic voice. "Landon!" Landon's head shot up, and a petite brunette stood before him. The sun hit her back in such a way that it appeared she was glowing. Landon hated himself for the way she took his breath away. How could he be distracted by her beauty in a time like this? She had betrayed him! Hadn't she?

"I need to talk to you, Heather," he said stiffly.

Her face darkened. "Is something wrong?" she wondered, reaching her hand to his face gently.

Landon flinched away from her touch. "I…I don't know," he admitted, suddenly doubting his own judgment. What if he was wrong? What if she hadn't betrayed him? "Can we talk in private?"

Heather gave a small nod. "Let's sit in my car," she suggested. As she led him to the vehicle, Landon noticed that she didn't take his hand. Had the tortured expression on his face scared her? He didn't know whether to feel guilty or satisfied.

A few moments later, Landon took the shotgun seat as Heather climbed into the driver's. "What's up?" she demanded immediately after shutting the door.

Landon took a deep breath and forced himself to meet her brilliant blue gaze. "Heather," he whispered. "I trusted you."

"And you don't now?" she winced.

"I don't know," he confessed, running his hands through his hair.

"What's happening?" Heather cried. "I'm scared, Landon. Please, tell me what's wrong."

He couldn't hold back any longer. The emotions swimming through him were too much to handle. "How did they know how to get into Thunder Woods?" he blurted out. "How did kids from Windy Hollow get out around the gate and its cameras?" He searched her face pleadingly, begging fate silently that she was not involved in any way.

Something dark flickered across her face, and her eyes darted away momentarily. "I…don't know what you're talking about," she muttered.

All at once, he knew. The denial melted like ice on a summer's day. "YOU!" he roared, thrusting the door open. Boulders of betray crushed his chest, making it nearly impossible to breath. His hands began to shake like an earthquake. He jumped out of the car without second thought. "YOU!"

Heather scrambled out from her seat and rushed to his side. "Landon don't make a scene; it's not what you-"

"It's not what I THINK?" he erupted, finishing her sentence. "What exactly happened, then, huh? Can you EXPLAIN that?"

"There were just a few stupid kids!" she insisted. "They wanted to pull some stupid prank. I tried talking them out of it, but I couldn't!"

"But you _told _them how to get in!" Landon bellowed. "You betrayed me!"

"No, Landon, no!" Actual tears spilled over her eyes. "I would never! Why don't you believe me?"

"Why are you lying?" he screamed.

"I'm not. I'm not!" she sobbed.

"Give it up already!" he snapped coldly. "You're only upset because I caught you in a lie! I never meant anything to you."

"That's not true!" she wept, her blue eyes a sea of tears. "Landon, you mean so much to me!"

Landon turned away. "I thought so, too, once," he whispered, stalking forward. Heather grabbed his wrist.

"Don't leave me!" she begged. "What about us?"

Landon pulled away with all his might, turning only to shoot her an icy glare. "There _is_ no us," he muttered mutinously.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: **I'm SOOOOOOO sorry for not publishing in so long! :/ Forgive me? c: So, what do YOU think? Did Heather lie? Is Landon overreacting? Who's the one being a jerk-face?


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter Thirteen

Just as soon as it had come, it left. The spark between Heather and Landon had been diminished. _Typical Landon! He gets all goo-goo eyed for a girl, almost starts World War III with Holly, and then just leaves her!_ Jayden had to stop himself from laughing out loud as remembered that his brother had actually contemplated if had loved Heather. They hadn't dated longer than one month! _Teenagers,_ puffed Jayden.

"Jayden? Jayden!" Aunt Lacie repeated.

Jayden jumped, his thoughts scattering. "Sorry," he apologized with a shrug. "I was just thinking."

"Well, I need you to focus," the tired doctor sighed. "Do you think this would be good for my patient?" She handed her nephew the prescription.

The young man brushed his hand across the braille inscription before nodding. "Yes," he agreed after a moment. "This will sooth her cough and her sore throat. You should warn her, though, to call her doctor if she is still experiencing symptoms within three days. This doesn't treat illness, only the side effects. If it has worsened by then, it might be a sign of something more serious, like pneumonia."

"Perfect!" Aunt Lacie beamed proudly.

"That was another test, wasn't it?" Jayden snapped, setting down the bottle with a little more force than necessary.

A spike of annoyance flashed from his family member before quickly cooling. Even the kind, patient woman lost her temper with Jayden sometimes. "Yes," she answered evenly. "I am your mentor, and I have to test your skills."

"Fair enough," he grumbled.

"Well," Lacie sighed. "It's six, and your shift is over. Let's get you home."

A few minutes later, they exchanged goodbyes and he ran up the familiar path and walked into the house. "I'm home!" the blind boy announced.

"Hello, sweetie!" his mother greeted, throwing her arms around her boy. "How was your day? I am so glad that your home! Aren't you glad that it's Friday! Do you have plans?"

"Good, me too, yes, and no," he answered swiftly, throwing his bag on the ground before promptly kicking off his shoes.

"Good," Landon's voice hit his ears, "because you do now."

Jayden sighed in exhaustion. All he wanted was to sleep after a long day. But if he knew his brother, there was no way of getting around whatever it was Landon had planned. "What are we doing?" he wondered wearily.

Landon grinned, grabbing his brother by the wrist. "Come on; we're going to be late," he said, dragging Jayden up the stairs.

"Late for _what?_" Jayden demanded, unable to escape his brother's grasp.

Ignoring his questions once again, Landon brought him into their shared bedroom and shoving a pair of clothes into his hands. "Change into this!" Jayden examined the clothes as carefully as one could with fingertips.

After a long moment, excitement sparking from Landon, Jayden moaned, "You're not going to make me look like an idiot, are you?"

Landon laughed. "You'll just have to trust me," he teased before leaving him to dress in private.

"Landon, I mean it!" Jayden called desperately.

The bronze haired boy simply laughed in response from outside the door.

"Fine," grumbled the moody triplet, pulling his clothes on slowly, in no rush to go wherever it was they were going.

"Could you go any slower?" Landon groaned, his voice muffled from behind the door.

"Could you be any more impatient?" Jayden snapped, reentering the hall at last.

"Let's go," Landon ordered with a smile in his voice, ignoring the jab. "Tonight, we live!"

As he was led outside, Jayden prayed, "Heaven help me."

* * *

><p>"A football game?" demanded Jayden, crossing his arms. "Are you out of your mind? I can't even watch you play!"<p>

"Please," pleaded his brother over the noise of the stadium. "Tonight is the first game of the season!"

"Holly is here," he reminded Landon, desperate for a way out of this. "She'll be cheering for you! Literally!"

"It's not the same," countered Landon. "She_ has_ to be here! You're my brother, and this really means a lot to me.

Jayden considered this for a long moment. All he wanted was to curl up in his bed. For heaven's sake, was that such a demanding request? Sleep called his name seductively, but Jayden could feel waves of hope crashing off from Landon. Could he really crush that? It was his first game of the year after all…

"Fine," he grumbled finally, narrowing his blind eyes.

"Yes!" cried Landon triumphantly, obviously giving the air a fist bump. Jayden listened as the newly-appointed quarterback's footsteps retreated toward the locker room. "By the way," he called loudly over his shoulder, "if we win tonight, there's going to be a party at the Heart's house! And you _will _be going!"

For once, Jayden hoped that the Bob Cats lost the game.

Grumbling to himself, Jayden managed to weave his way through the gathering crowds and find a seat (despite tripping once or twice). "Hello," said a voice next to him.

"Hello," he greeted the girl, who sounded vaguely familiar. "Do I know you?"

There was a slight pause in which, Jayden realized, the girl must have gestured. "P-probably not," she stammered at last, a spark of embarrassment pulsing from her. Yup. She had definitely nodded. "I've heard a lot about you, though. You're Jayden Conner." Her voice was suddenly tight, and oceans of emotion encompassed her mind. Jayden clenched onto his seat, as he tried to sift his way out of her feelings and back into his own. What was with her?

"Yes, I am," the young man answered evenly, wishing she would calm down. "Who are you?"

"Heather. Heather Tyson," she answered. All was now clear.

"Oh," Jayden replied awkwardly. "I've uh, heard a lot about you, too."

"Oh?" Anger sparked in her voice. "I'm not surprised, I suppose."

_Stupid, stupid, stupid! _Jayden thought, wishing he could slap himself. _'I've heard a lot about you, too?' You thought that would help? Ugh!_

"Erm, I, uh, am going to go buy a corn dog," he lied, standing up swiftly. "I forgot to eat dinner at home." Between the growing audience, loud whistling and announcers from the game, and a full mind, walking to the other side of the bleachers was quite a clumsy feat.

Finally, Jayden sat down tiredly, wishing once more that he was at home. If he could just make it through the night left alone, however, he reflected, he might just survive.

"Jayden!" Willa Shaw beamed, weaving her way up to the top of the stands where he sat alone.

_So much for being alone, _thought he, suppressing a sigh.

"Hello, Willa!" he greeted with a forced smile. "Don't you just love football games?"

The apprenticed doctor-in-training didn't pick up, or chose to ignore, his dripping sarcasm. "Yes!" she gushed, in an obviously wonderful mood. "With Foster, Conner, Wright, and Lakes on the team, we're going to do great this season!"

"We may even make it to state!" Jayden enthused insincerely.

"We just might!" Willa agreed, a grin apparent in her tone. "Can you imagine the parties we'd have after that?"

_Oh, no,_ he wanted to groan. _I can't even begin to imagine!_ The more he thought about it, the less he wanted his own school to be successful.

* * *

><p>Holly grinned from the middle of the pyramid. Everything was going perfect. She had nailed nearly every flip, cheer, and cartwheel. And though she knew both she and Matt should be focused solely on the game, she couldn't help but blush every time their eyes met on the field.<p>

Apparently, Cynthia had noticed. "We _have _to talk later," Cynthia whispered fiercely during half time, her eyes slipping slyly toward Matt.

"Alright," Holly had agreed hesitantly.

She hadn't told her best friend about the couple of dates she had gone on with the football player. Holly knew Cynthia would kill her when she learned that she had kept them secret. As much as she hated to admit it, even to herself, but the true reason she was keeping her attraction to Matt from Cynthia was because Holly didn't want to confess that she had been wrong. She didn't want to see the smug look in Cynthia's right and hear the words "I told you so". But Holly knew she would have to swallow her pride.

None of that was important, however, as the clocked ticked down to the final twenty seconds of the fourth quarter. The game was tied fourteen-fourteen. The Bob Cats had decided to try kicking a field goal in an attempt to prevent from going into overtime. Even the cheer squad was silent as Reed Wright stepped up to the ball. The crowd sat on the edge of their seats. Holly bit her nails anxiously.

The seconds fell quickly. The ball flew through the air, and Holly held her breath. It seemed to be heading in the right direction. Could they possibly win? Yes, no, maybe? Everything seemed to happen in slow motion. _Come on! Come on!_ The crowd erupted into a frenzy as the ball spiraled through the two posts.

"Go Bob Cats!" screamed Holly, though her throat felt raw after a night of cheering. The squad and all the spectators rushed into the crowd. The football team crowed, some throwing their helmets in the air.

Holly wound her way through the seemingly millions of people, casting her eyes around for a familiar face. She spotted Landon, and, meeting his eyes, ran toward him with open arms. Before she could reach her brother, however, someone wrapped their own arms around her waist. "Guess who?" he chuckled.

Holly turned around with a flirty grin playing on her lips. "I wonder," she joked, hugging Matt's neck. She gazed into his eyes, blocking out the noise of the ecstatic crowd. "You did great out there," she breathed, taken aback by their closeness.

"So did you," he whispered, leaning in slowly toward her.

Holly lifted her chin, pursing her lips. She closed her eyes, waiting for his gentle touch, but before anything of the sort could happen, Landon was suddenly between them. His back to Matt, he grinned triumphantly. "We won! We really won!" he exclaimed, throwing his arms around his sister.

Holly pushed back from Landon, looking him straight in the eye. There was a mischievous gleam in their brown depths that told her that he had purposely interrupted their moment. She folded her arms crossly. Landon simply winked in response. "Common, Jay is waiting for us," he nodded toward the edge of the stadium where a certain black-haired teenager sat gloomily. "We're catching a ride with Paige, Hannah, and Cynthia," he explained. "We'll meet everyone else at the party."

"She could ride with me," Matt offered, his head poking around Landon's shoulder. "We could…" Landon glared at his teammate. "On second thought, I'll just see you guys there." Without another word, Matt slinked away.

"Landon!" Holly groaned, covering her face in embarrassment.

"Holly!" Landon mimicked, grabbing her hand. "We're leaving now. You can see your precious boyfriend soon enough."

_If you don't scare him away first!_

* * *

><p><strong>AN: **No, you are not dreaming. I actually updated this! FINALLY. I am SO, so, so sorry for making you all wait so many months. I have been busy with other stories, making this one fall on the priority list. But guess what? It's back on top once more! :) So, reviews, anyone? :3


	14. Chapter 14

**Chapter Fourteen**

Holly hopped into the van, climbing into the back seat. Cynthia took a seat next to her, Jayden and Landon choosing the front row, and Hannah drove with Paige in shotgun. Hannah and Paige were cheering from the front seats, their excited voices chattering on about the thrilling win. Instead of joining in on the conversation, Cynthia immediately turned to her best friend. "What was _that_ all about?" she demanded, her eyes smug.

"I don't know what you're talking about," stuttered Holly, her cheeks pink.

"Maybe it was just me, but I could have sworn Matt was going to kiss you," she commented slyly.

Holly shrugged, trying to act nonchalant. "He probably wanted to," she agreed evasively. "You know he likes me, C."

"What seemed even crazier," Cynthia went on mischievously, "is that it looked like you were going to kiss him back."

"Maybe I would have," Holly hedged, squirming.

"I _knew _it," Cynthia giggled. "You _do _like him. How many dates have you two been on?"

"H-how did you know we've gone out?" stammered the black-haired girl.

Cynthia rolled her eyes as if it were obvious. "I didn't know for sure until just now," she smiled, "but you didn't answer my question."

"Two dates," Holly admitted.

"It's about time!" Cynthia sighed dramatically. "You've been crazy for him since last year!"

Holly was suddenly aware of her interested brothers' listening ears. "Not really," she lied. "I've just recently realized how great he is."

"Oh _sure!"_ Cynthia winked. "I'm sure your staring at him and loss of words every time his name came into conversation for the past year has been nothing but friendly thoughts."

Holly flushed. "You're exaggerating!" she declared, praying that her crush hadn't been so obvious.

Ignoring her, Cynthia pressed, "Do you think it's anything serious?"

Landon turned around in his seat. "Yeah, Holly. Is it?"

"No," Holly rolled her eyes, tired of the inquisition. "We haven't even kissed yet." She glared at Landon, who appeared pleased with himself.

"Don't worry, Holly," Landon winked. "I'll watch out for you." Holly knew he meant that literally.

"Thanks," she replied, moaning internally.

"We're here!" Paige announced. "And look who's already here?"

Holly glanced up. Ben Lakes stood, leaning against the Heart's brick wall, acting cool. Next to him stood Matt, looking as handsome as ever, even after a sweaty football game. Holly's heart skipped, and heat rushed into her face, but, this time not from embarrassment.

* * *

><p>"Oh come <em>on!" <em>shouted Ben, stomping his feet on the ground.

"_Another _win?" wondered Brad Falls, who, despite being a sophomore in college, came to celebrate with his old team, in awe.

"Read it and weep, boys," Cynthia grinned, pulling her arms behind her head and leaning back into the soft cushions.

"You couldn't have gotten so many kills!" exclaimed Ben, looking frustrated. He let his control drop in his lap. "You're a girl."

"A girl that beat _you,_" remarked Cynthia, raising her eyebrow.

Landon, who sat next to her on the sofa, punched her arm playfully. "Well, we'll see how you hold up that killing streak in the next level," he challenged.

"Yeah, we _will _see," she answered firmly, her voice firm.

_Why am I here?_ thought Jayden, his eyes struggling to remain open as he listened to the buzz of the party. More than anything, he wanted his bed. Even his pillow would be a sweet relief.

"Jayden," Hazel cut into his fantasies of sleep. "Isn't it hard?"

"Is what hard?" he asked, confused.

"The no love rule," explained Paige.

Before he could respond, Hannah answered for him, "Of course it's hard! I know I couldn't stand being forbidden from dating."

"How do you cope?" asked Hazel curiously.

"I don't really think about it," Jayden answered truthfully.

The girls gasped. "Impossible!" declared Paige. "You must've had a crush at some point! Wouldn't you like a girlfriend?"

"No," Jayden repeated. "I've always wanted to be a doctor, and I know the rules."

"You poor thing," Hannah gushed in that way that girls do.

"I don't need some stupid girl to make me happy," snapped the blind boy, his eyes narrowed in annoyance.

"You don't _need_ girls?"

"Are you calling us stupid?"

"How rude!"

The three cheerleaders stomped away, leaving Jayden alone at the table. _Great, _he thought, _Now I've offended them!_ He sighed before shrugging it off. He was growing tired of their, or any sort of, company, anyhow.

* * *

><p>"Come on," chuckled Matt, grabbing Holly's hand. "I think I saw a clear room down the hall way. What do you say?"<p>

"I say," giggled Holly, "that that sounds perfect."

Matt began to lead her around the couch and out of the living room.

Holly's heart was beating wildly. She knew this was would be their first kiss together, and even more significant, it would be her first kiss ever. She couldn't think of any other boy she would rather be with. His green eyes held hers, and suddenly he was the only person in the world.

"Eh hem," coughed an all too familiar voice. "Where do you think you're going?"

Holly ripped her eyes away from Matt unwillingly and moved them instead toward Landon. "That's none of your business," she snapped, tired of his over-protectiveness.

"I do believe it is," he disagreed, standing from the couch. "You're my sister, after all."

"This is between Matt and I," retorted Holly. "Get out of it."

By this point, everyone in the room was watching. Even the boys had paused their video games. "Ooh," crowed Ben with a booming laugh. "This is getting interesting.

"No, I will _not_ get out of it," snapped Landon, throwing his hands in the air. "You hardly know the guy, and you're just going to let him lead you on? I thought you were smarter than-"

Holly had more than half a mind to slap the cocky bronze-haired boy. She stepped toward him, her eyes nothing more than cold slits. She opened her mouth to send a scathing retort when Matt pulled her to his side tightly.

"You know," he grinned. "What's the point in hiding it?"

Matt swiftly spun raven-haired girl back into his arms, leaning her down half-way to the ground. Her hair draped off from her shoulders. She couldn't breathe, captivated by his glowing green eyes. She tipped her chin up, and the brown-haired boy pressed his lips softly to hers. Holly wrapped her arms around his next and returned the favor passionately.

The crowd, whom Holly had forgotten all but about, giggled, cawed, and cheered. She didn't care that Landon was glowering at her side, or that she would be the topic of Forest Creek High for the next several weeks. She didn't care that Cynthia was smugly watching, or that Jayden, despite being blind, probably had his back turned. All that mattered was that the most beautiful, perfect boy was holding her in his arms.


End file.
